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Secret of Contentment
Young lions lie down in complete satisfaction after feasting on their prey. Despite their great strength, they have no greater ambition than satisfying their most basic natural cravings. Most animals are content with little more than food, but man has an appetite that seems insatiable. Mankind has a consciousness of value that drives us to explore every avenue, to push every limit, to tunnel through mountains, to build habitations in space, to invent a microscope like the Large Hadron Collider that is 27km long, to peer into the smallest detail of matter, in search of information ... meaning ... something that satisfies beyond mere survival. Despite technological advances and the comforts of a modern age, man's appetite and search for contentment has not been diminished. We travel more, we eat more, we have more gadgets and comforts, and the worlds information is at our fingertips. To pay for it all we work longer hours, live more complicated and demanding lives, but do these things bring us any closer to the secret of contentment? In approximately 60 AD, a man under house arrest, bound by chains to a Roman soldier, wrote the following: "I have learned the secret of contentment, whatever my circumstances." In another letter he wrote: "As you read you will understand my insight into the mystery of Christ." It is this secret, this mystery that we explore in this book.
98 pages, Paperback
First published July 13, 2009
About the author
Andre Rabe
11 books7 followersAndre Rabe is a storyteller, theologian, philosopher, author, and public speaker
Andre earned his doctorate in theology from Northwind Theological Seminary. He is known for his contributions to research on mimetic theory, open and relational theology, process philosophy, science and religion, and how to make these ideas relevant to real life. He has authored numerous books, including Creative Chaos.
Andre earned his doctorate in theology from Northwind Theological Seminary. He is known for his contributions to research on mimetic theory, open and relational theology, process philosophy, science and religion, and how to make these ideas relevant to real life. He has authored numerous books, including Creative Chaos.
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
July 12, 2020
This book is one I’ll need to sit and stew on for a while. I wholly loved Andre Rabe’s fresh writing on long-standing subjects (ie. desire, the Word of God, redemption of man, the beginning of creation, destiny, etc). Even with his references to the scriptures, he decides to use translations that breakdown concepts and use non-cliched language. The freshness Rabe brings is what makes the book able to be “heard” for me, and I really appreciate this.
Rabe introduces theology that I’ve known, but is said in a new way; theology I’ve newly discovered but rarely have seen put into words (with confidence); and theology that’s new to me. Rabe is someone with whom I would like to have a series of face-to-face conversations — there’s much more I would like to hear him expand on, with dialogue.
My two little critiques of the book is 1). the Kindle version is in need of a little editing and 2). I wonder if the title of the book is semi-misleading. The beginning and end of the book speaks directly into the “secret of contentment” — but to get to these places, Rabe unveils and expounds and paints grand spiritual pictures. This is the point, I think: the “secret of contentment” is found through this journey. But I do feel a hint of being blindsided, or maybe manipulated — like I was searching for one thing but instead was led over mountains and through valleys and across seas to get to it. Again, I think this was, if only partially, the point and perhaps it was effective. But I wonder if it would be kinder to bring readers more into this — if only by connecting/referencing the idea of contentment more notably throughout the book and bring us into the thinking.
I’ve been impacted by this book, and I’m thankful it’s been written with such care and, I imagine, much experience and years of thought and seeking and finding.
Rabe introduces theology that I’ve known, but is said in a new way; theology I’ve newly discovered but rarely have seen put into words (with confidence); and theology that’s new to me. Rabe is someone with whom I would like to have a series of face-to-face conversations — there’s much more I would like to hear him expand on, with dialogue.
My two little critiques of the book is 1). the Kindle version is in need of a little editing and 2). I wonder if the title of the book is semi-misleading. The beginning and end of the book speaks directly into the “secret of contentment” — but to get to these places, Rabe unveils and expounds and paints grand spiritual pictures. This is the point, I think: the “secret of contentment” is found through this journey. But I do feel a hint of being blindsided, or maybe manipulated — like I was searching for one thing but instead was led over mountains and through valleys and across seas to get to it. Again, I think this was, if only partially, the point and perhaps it was effective. But I wonder if it would be kinder to bring readers more into this — if only by connecting/referencing the idea of contentment more notably throughout the book and bring us into the thinking.
I’ve been impacted by this book, and I’m thankful it’s been written with such care and, I imagine, much experience and years of thought and seeking and finding.
February 9, 2021
Meh! I love the two other books I read from Andre but this one was not what I hoped for. Creative Chaos and Desire Found Me are amazing. Thank you for helping me discover Rene Girard!
February 29, 2024
What more could we ask for?
‘Nuf said. Read this book and rest contented in Jesus’
“Amen” as the I AM! I highly recommend this book.
‘Nuf said. Read this book and rest contented in Jesus’
“Amen” as the I AM! I highly recommend this book.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews